


Just a Walk

by shatteredplates



Category: Gravity Falls, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:09:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shatteredplates/pseuds/shatteredplates
Summary: Dipper and Steven go for a walk and pass by Bill's statue.not intended ship
Relationships: Dipper Pines & Steven Universe
Comments: 8
Kudos: 162





	Just a Walk

**Author's Note:**

> over 1000 words of self projection for your enjoyment uwu

Dipper lightly knocked on Steven's door, "Hey, uh, I'm about to go on a walk… Just around the shack, do you wanna come with me?"

He anxiously fiddled with the hem of his jacket. Even though, with Steven, he always knew the answer would be yes, he still got nervous when awaiting a response.

Steven was quick to open the door, "Hey! I was just thinking of going on a little hike!" He smiled, "Let's go together, then!"

It was a bit awkward at first. Despite Steven living with them for nearly a month, Dipper still found it difficult to find topics that didn't involve a trauma inducing adventure for either of them, which left them in a less than comfortable silence. 

"Y'know," Steven started, "this forest has never failed to amaze me. I've never seen trees this big before!" 

"What? How? You were on the road for like a year!"

"Well, I mostly stayed in cities and coastal areas… the forests I have been to have all been pretty small."

After the ice was finally broken, they talked about Steven's travels, and each of the boy's tamer adventures. 

"Hah, yeah! And then I- I…" Dipper froze. 

Steven looked back, The younger boy was staring wide-eyed at something off to the side of the trail.

A statue. Worn and covered in moss and shrubbery. Steven knew the shape as something he'd seen in some of Ford and Dipper's notes, they had talked so enthusiastically about their discoveries, but when it came to this entity they became much more reserved. All he knew was his name was Bill, he was _powerful,_ and he needed to get Dipper away from him. 

He gently grabbed Dipper's hand to try and lead him back to the Mystery Shack, but he was still frozen in place, beginning to hyperventilate. 

"Dipper I- we need to get you back home. To the shack, I mean. Can you- can you walk?"

Dipper was stuck in his mind. He needed to say something. He knew he did. But he couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He couldn't make a noise or else he knew he would start bawling his eyes out. He couldn't do that in front of Steven, he didn't need to worry him any more than he already had. 

He tried to take a step forward.

He felt his legs give out.

If it weren't for Steven's fast reflexes, he would be on the ground, a sobbing mess. Instead, he was a sobbing mess in Steven's arms. 

This was stupid. _He_ was stupid. Bill had been gone for almost a year now. He wasn't coming back, Dipper _knew_ that. So why was he still so upset by what had happened? Why was he still left to panic every time he thought of Bill? And why was it all coming out now? He had walked by the statue countless times this summer, he could always just keep it inside before, so why did he have to be like this in front of Steven? He already had so much to worry about, Dipper shouldn't add onto his stress by making him deal with some random kid's problems. He wanted to run away. He wanted Steven to forget about this and stop worrying about him. But at the same time, he felt so safe in the older boy's arms. He was so uselessly selfish. 

He was snapped out of his spiral by a voice,

"Dipper? I'm gonna pick you up, is that alright?" 

He takes a moment to steady his breathing and nods into Steven's shoulder as he's hoisted up and carried back to the shack. 

Opening the door to the twin's room, he finds that Mabel isn't anywhere to be seen. He was hoping that Mabel would be able to help more than he could. 

Setting Dipper down on his cot, he noticed that he hesitated to let go of Steven's shirt. 

"Do you know what I can do to help?" He paused, "You're allowed to say no."

God, why did Steven have to be so caring and nice? He made it so much harder to push him away. 

Dipper shook his head, looking down, unwilling to make eye contact. 

"Is there anyone you want me to get?" 

Another shake of the head. 

Steven suppressed a sigh, he didn't want Dipper to think he was getting tired of him, but he definitely wasn't making it easy to comfort him. He figured it would be easier, seeing as he had gone through countless panic attacks before, but Dipper's mind worked so much differently than his own. 

"I.. I want you to know that I'm always here if you want to talk about it. Even when I go back on the road, I'll always be willing to listen. And.. if it's hard to talk about, we can find another way. You could try to write it down or something."

Steven wasn't sure how effective his little speech was, but it seemed to have made Dipper feel a bit more comfortable. 

"I… I really don't know much about what happened to you guys, and you definitely don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but your grunkles have told me a bit and… it seems like you had to deal with a lot." 

After a moment of processing, Dipper nods and reaches for his phone, "I'll.. write what I can"

And he does. He types out everything from getting chased by gnomes to Weirdmageddon, only skimming over some of the more sensitive topics. The whole time, Steven is there, offering comfort whenever he starts to panic again and needs a break. 

After correcting his many, many, typos, he hands the phone to Steven, who starts reading after patting Dipper on the shoulder.

His expression immediately shifts to one of concern, then anger, then a mixture of both throughout reading.

Oh god, what if he thinks of Dipper as some… pitiful _child_ after this? He didn't want Steven to start acting differently around him… 

Just as he was about to start spiraling again, Steven set the phone down.   
  
Dipper froze, waiting for a response.   
  
_Oh god, what if he hates me? What if he never wants to talk to me again?  
_   
Steven looked up at Dipper, with nothing but care and compassion in his eyes, opening his arms.   
  
Dipper gladly accepted the offer of a hug, hoping that Steven wouldn’t mind all the tear stains. 

**Author's Note:**

> i LIVE for the big brother&little brother dynamic ok give me a break


End file.
